EATONTOWN, N.J., and TOKYO -- OpNext, Inc., a global supplier of active fiber optic components and modules, announced it has closed a $321 million investment from Clarity Group, an equal partnership between Clarity Partners, a Los Angeles-based private equity investment firm, and Marubeni Group, a major Japan-based trading house. OpNext was formed from the Fiber Optic Components Business Unit of Hitachi Ltd.'s (NYSE: HIT; YSE: 6501) Telecommunications & Information Infrastructure Systems Group. OpNext will use this capital to expand its manufacturing capacity, establish a worldwide sales and marketing team, grow its research and development program and develop new products to meet the future needs of its customers. "Hitachi's heritage as a leader in semiconductors, optical lasers and transceivers, combined with a proven history of reliability and customer satisfaction, provides a tremendous base upon which OpNext will build its components and modules business," said Masaaki Hayashi, OpNext Chairman, Senior Vice President and Director, and Senior Group Executive of Hitachi, Ltd.'s Information & Telecommunication Systems Group. OpNext Inc.